Palestinians recall envoys to 4 EU nations that attended US embassy reception

The Palestinian Authority has recalled its envoys to Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria after their ambassadors attended an Israeli reception marking the US embassy’s move to Jerusalem, it said Wednesday.

The statement from the PA’s foreign ministry said the EU nations’ ambassadors had attended the reception on Sunday, a day before the US opened its Israel embassy in Jerusalem.

The embassy move and Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has deeply angered Palestinians, who see the eastern sector of the city as the capital of their future state.

The ministry “sees this participation as a grave breach of international law and United Nations resolutions which confirm that Jerusalem has been occupied since 1967 and ban countries from moving their embassies there,” the statement said.

“The recalls are to consult with our ambassadors to these states about their positions and their commitment to the EU’s positions.”

PA President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday withdrew his top envoy to Washington.

The European Union opposed the US move of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The embassy move was accompanied by mass protests and clashes along the Gaza border initiated by Hamas the terror group which rules Gaza and which openly seeks to destroy Israel. According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, 60 Palestinians were killed in the clashes and more than 2,700 were injured.

The IDF said Tuesday that at least 24 of the dead were members of terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Those groups acknowledged 13 of their members were among the dead. Israel alleges that Hamas is spurring the violence and using it as cover for attacks.